We sat there holding each other tightly. I felt an overwhelming sense of home...comfort in his arms.
He tightened his embrace again. "We should get you back so Esme and Alice can have their wicked way with you."
Damn! He was laughing at me, so I stuck my tongue out at him and pulled out of his arms, pouting.
"I think I saw you smile." He said as he ran a finger along the crease of my lips. Then he helped me put my jacket on.
I shrugged. "You must be imagining things." I said simply.
We grabbed all of my stuff, locked up and went to his car. We put everything in the trunk and then headed home.
Esme and Alice were ready and waiting for me. As soon as we pulled in the driveway they came running out of the house.
"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" Alice was chanting.
"Edward, you can handle all of Bella's stuff, right?" Esme asked as she put her arm through mine and started walking away, towards her Escalade.
I looked back at Edward, as they dragged me away. "Help me! Save me!" I mouthed to him. He just laughed and shook his head. So much for him being my knight in
shining armor. Hmph!
This was going to be a long, long day.
I had a vision in my head of what I wanted my personal sanctuary to look like.
We started at a store that specialized in bedding and linens. I knew with dark, heavy wood furniture I wanted something light and airy, but not too feminine. No pink
bubblegum, princess, girly room for me.
I went through aisle after aisle with Alice and Esme exclaiming over this one or pointing to that one.
I was getting ready to give up when I found it. Like a watercolor painting, soft and muted. Light blue, tan, and green swirled and rippled like water. It was beautiful.
We got all the accessories that went with it, skirt, shams, curtains, comforter, throw pillows and sheets. Esme insisted that we also get two sets of flannel sheets to
match as well as two sets of cotton/percale.
"I would like to find some wrought iron table lamps." I looked to Esme and she nodded. "And I would like to get a computer desk and maybe a bookshelf also, but
that might be too much..." I trailed off.
"No, Bella, don't worry about cost. If you need it, we will get it." Esme stated and gave me a quick hug. "And do you want to paint the walls? We should go the paint
store too!"
I nodded. "Yes, the walls need to be a color." I smirked again. I wanted to smile...it just never came out right. "Maybe the green in the comforter...only a little
darker."
Both Alice and Esme nodded at that. "Perfect." Esme said.
Our next stop was the paint store and Esme reminded me I could re-do the en-suite bathroom also.
The clerk matched the paint for the bedroom, then I picked out an apple green color for the bathroom.
The furniture store was next and we found the lamps, book shelves and computer desk there. They all had wrought iron and dark wood. The lamps had these
beautiful stained glass shades that complimented the bedroom ensemble.
Next stop, the local Wal-Mart to pick up bath towels, a shower curtain, bath accessories, and I found a beautiful, fluffy, large area rug, to throw down in the middle of
the hardwood floor.
"I need to do my Christmas shopping too, but I'm tired. I just need to pick something up for Edward right now, I can do the rest tomorrow, while we are out. Can we
stop at the mall?" I asked Esme. She nodded.
I described what I wanted to get him, and they took me right to the store I needed.
Alice started whining that we should be shopping, but I was quickly running out of energy and patience. Thankfully Esme could see that and came to my rescue.
On the way home I asked Alice. "Do you think Jasper would sell me a painting? I know it's been a while but...well I based my room on that watercolor he painted a
couple of years ago...it was so...well I don't know how to describe it, but it really moved me.
"I know the one you mean." She nodded, "But I don't know if he wants to sell it. I will check with him and let you know."
I nodded. I could understand that, I guess.
We had been shopping for hours and I was exhausted. When we got home all three guys were waiting and they carried all the bags and boxes in.
I moved in to the family room and sat on the sofa and moaned and closed my eyes. I was so tired.
I heard talking, laughter and movement, but I just couldn't focus or open my eyes...so I stopped trying.
I awoke to soft lips kissing my ear and arms lifting me, cradling me. My heart started racing and I momentarily panicked. My whole body froze, and I gasped and held
my breath.
"Come on sleepy-head. Time for bed." Edward whispered. My body relaxed and I let out my breath.
I rubbed my eyes and groaned. "How long have I been asleep?"
A while, you even missed dinner. It's after midnight." He said as he kissed from my ear down my jaw to my chin.
"Edward. I'm too heavy. Put me down. I can walk to my room." I mumbled, embarrassed.
His arms tightened around me and he grinned. "You hardly weigh anything. Not on your life am I putting you down yet. I've missed you being in my arms."
He entered my bedroom and gently placed me on my bed.
"What time is your appointment with Dr. Weber tomorrow?" Edward asked.
"10am" I had almost forgotten about that.
"Well we all were going to start painting your room tomorrow, so you can take my car to your appointment...if you don't mind. We need to get you your own car
though." He said as he slipped his fingers into my hair, massaging my scalp with his strong fingers.
"Oh no! I can't do that Edward."
"Yes you can. I don't mind." He laughed softly. "Just don't hurt my baby."
I shook my head. "No. I can't. I don't know how to drive." I frowned. Just add that to my list of failures. "Renée wouldn't enroll me or allow me to drive her car. When
I turned 18 I had too much on my plate, and I lived and worked close to the bus line. I never got around to learning."
"No big deal, then, I will take you. It will be my pleasure." He shrugged.
I sighed. God! I was such a failure. I needed to learn how to drive. I hated the idea of having to bother anyone to have to chauffeur me around. Unfortunately Dr.
Weber's office was too far away to walk to, and not near a bus route either.
I was looking at my lap as I picked imaginary lint off of my jeans. I could feel Edward's gaze on me.
"I haven't done any Christmas shopping for the family yet. Maybe after your doctor's appointment we could head over to Fairlane Mall." He suggested.
Well, that fell into my plans perfectly. I still needed to get gifts for everyone...except Edward. He was taken care of.
Edward took my hand and stroked the skin on the back. We discussed ideas of what to get for Alice, Esme, Jasper and Carlisle, and the different stores we could hit
while at the mall. He propped some pillows up against the headboard and pulled me back into his arms. I could get used to this. I felt less anxiety each time he
touched me and held me.
We talked about all kinds of things, catching up on our lives since we last really talked, before he started college. From our favorite colors to the courses we had
completed in college to our dreams for our futures. Somewhere along the way, or voices became whispered murmurs, waning to nothing as we both fell silent and fell
asleep.
That's how Esme found us the next morning. Fully dressed on top of the blankets, but completely wrapped around each other. I was snuggled warmly in Edward's
chest, but heard the door open. I looked over his body at her.
She raised an eyebrow at me and I flushed, deeply embarrassed. I pulled away from Edward, which caused him to groan and roll over on to his back.
"I thought I would check on you to make sure you were up in time for your appointment." She said as she walked over to the bed, looking down at Edward.
I wondered what she was going to do, as she bent her lips to his ear and then said loudly. "Edward! Anthony! Masen! Cullen!"
He flew out of the bed, took one look at her and blushed and left the room.
She chuckled. "I'll leave you to get ready." She said, still smirking. I heard her knock on Edward's door then say. "I need to speak with you, young man. Right now!"
I have no idea what she said to him and he didn't tell me.
We didn't talk on the way to my appointment...both of us lost in our own thoughts.
The session with Dr. Weber went well. We discussed how I felt about being released. The multitude of changes in my life and how I was dealing with giving up my
independence to be like an adopted child to very loving and attentive parents. A truly alien concept to me.
"You will definitely have a period of adjustment with your new circumstances, but I see this as an improvement of your situation so take advantage of it." She said
with a smile. "I would like you to go to a support group for rape victims. Here is the information for a group that meets on Monday nights at the Dearborn Civic
Center. I think this would be beneficial for you. To talk to other victims...survivors. See how they deal with it, and move forward."
I nodded...that was a good idea. I needed to know that I could get better...move forward. I know that I'm not the only person to experience rape...but it put you in a
lonely place. I needed to hear other people's stories.
"So I will see you again next week." Dr. Weber reminded me as I left.
I walked out of the office and over to Edward. "All done for this week." I sighed.
We walked out of the building to his car and he opened my door for me, then got in and drove to the mall.
We shopped for a couple of hours and bought all the gifts for the Cullen family, including Jasper.
When we got home we went up to my room. The walls were freshly painted, but all of the furniture was still piled in the center of the room. The smell of fresh paint
was overpowering, so I opened the two windows to air the room out. I threw my bags with the gifts into my dresser drawers, so no curious eyes would find them too
soon. I would wrap them later.